Natural Healing Therapies
There are a vast range of different natural healing therapies and these are all becoming ever more popular. The idea behind natural healing therapies is to heal the body in a way that does not rely on medication or drugs and there are many good arguments for this.
For instance if you have a hormone disorder or a psychological issue, then some doctors would recommend using drugs to try and combat this. However there are those who are against the use of certain anti-depressants and other drugs – as they have many side effects and can in some cases become addictive. Something like benzodiazepenes are very controversial in their use for treating depression as they can lead to dependency and create withdrawal symptoms once taken away. At the same time they can also result in some worrying side effects such as difficulty with vision and arrhythmia (irregular heartbeats).
For these reasons many people will recommend against using drugs to treat depression which seem to treat the symptoms rather than the problem itself and which can in some cases lead to greater problems. Similarly they may opt to avoid other medications for killing pain or addressing other illnesses, particularly if the illness is not threatening or if the side effects of the medication are truly unpleasant.
There are a vast range of natural healing methods available. These include things like acupuncture which has proven very successful in combating addictions and certain pains. Chiropractors are also from the school of natural healing and believe in a holistic view of the body which is based on aligning the spine. Whereas a physiotherapist then would address a pain in the ankle by manipulating that specific joint and perhaps prescribing painkillers, a chiropractor would look at other muscular imbalances that might be causing the ankle pain and focus on fixing the alignment of the spine – and they would not use medication to treat the problem. Many natural healing therapies will also look at the use of herbs and herb extracts in order to treat illnesses in the place of medications – and this is a highly flourishing industry populated by products such as guarana for weight loss (a naturally occurring stimulant that boosts the metabolism) and ginko biloba for concentration and mood problems. Many women use evening primrose to help with menstrual problems.
There are more forms of natural healing. These include things like Reiki which is dependent on a belief in a universal life-force called ‘Qi’ and the belief that this Qi can be manipulated and passed between people. A Reiki healer might attempt to heal a pain in the leg then by holding their hands over the leg and passing ‘positive’ Qi into it. Another form of natural healing therapy is ‘homeopathy’ which attempts to treat illnesses with medication that is designed to create the same symptoms as the illness in order to stimulate the immune system. However these products are free of active agents – rather they once came into contact with microscopic quantities of the active agents and the belief is that the ‘life force’ of that agent is transferred by osmosis.
While you may choose to shun conventional medication in the light of side effects or personal beliefs, this does not mean you should shun scientific methodology. Make sure that you look into the natural therapies you are using and read the research to learn whether they are supported by evidence. There are plenty of natural healing techniques out there that are highly effective but also those that are based on no real science. At the same time be sure to make sure you still follow the doctor’s advice in the case of serious illness and do not forgo medication where your health may be at serious risk. Used best natural healing methods should augment conventional medicine as another thing to try – and different things will work for different people.
There are lots of benefits that can be gained by visiting a naturopath. Some techniques can be combined to greater affect by taking herbal medicines.